Swivelling load-handling devices, notably for ships and the like



Feb. 26, 1957 P A MEGE 2,782,938

SWIVELLING LOAD-HANI DLING DEVICES, NOTABLY FOR' SHIPS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 14, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 PAUL A. MEGE INVENTOR.

BY W

Feb. 26, 1957 P. A. MEGE SWIVELLING LOAD-HANDLING DEVICES, NOTABLY 2782938 FOR SHIPS AND THE. LIKE Filed Sept. 14, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 TO LOAD FIG 3 3O 96 IO M I I PAUL A. MEGE INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1957 P. A. MEGE 2,782,938

SWIVELLING LOAD-HANDLING DEVICES, NOTABLY FOR SHIPS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 14, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 8 FIG.5 I22 38 PAUL A. MEGE I24 INVENTOR H ATTORNEY SWIVELLING LOAD-HANDLING DEVICES, NOTABLY FOR SHIPS AND THE LIKE Paul Andre Mege, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France Application September 14, 1954, Serial No. 455,856

Claims priority, application France-September 17, 1953 Claims. (Cl. 212-3) The present invention relates to a load carrying device for use on board ships for handling loads and cargo in the loading and unloading of ships.

The present invention is particularly directed to improvements in the mounting of a derrick mast. Conventionally, a derrick mast is pivotally connected at its lower end to an upright supporting mast and has its upper end adjustably supported by a peak-halyard sling which is adjustably carried by the supporting mast. By virtue of such construction, the derrick mast is swivelling mounted for a swivel movement about a vertical axis paralleling the supporting mast. I

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a more compact, sturdier and simpler means of attaching the peak-halyard sling to the supporting mast. A

feature of such construction includes at least one boom .to provide a self-supported supporting mast, the mounting of which obviates the use of guy ropes and the like stabilizing elements, and to which mast a derrick boom is pivoted at its lower end and is supported at its upper end by a peak-halyard sling which is attached to the supporting mast by a novel swivel bracket means.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a main or supporting mast on a shipand to provide a capping member on the upper end thereof, such capping member carrying vertically spaced and aligned supporting arms on which a pivot mount is supported; a vertically spaced and aligned pivot mount being disposed below the first and directly secured to the mast and such pivot mounts pivotally supporting a bracket means to which the peak-halyard sling is attached and which is controlled by cables.

A still further important object of this invention is to provide simply constructed and operated means for laterally displacing the point of attachment of a peak-halyard sling to the supporting mast in order to facilitate the displacement of the load carried by the derrick mast.

The foregoing and ancillary objects are attained by this invention, the preferred embodiments of which are set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the swivel bracket means for supporting the peak-halyard sling;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the swivel bracket means;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the derrick mast assembly, showing the swivel bracket means attached to the top of'the supporting mast and showing the attachnited States Patent '0 ment of the lower end of the derrick mast to the supporting mast and the control and operating cables and ropes for the bracket means, derricks mast and load;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of supporting mast, wherein such mast is self supporting and to which the derrick mast, peak-halyard sling and appurtenant structure are attached;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the structure of Fig. 4, and;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings and initially to Figures 1 to 3, the numeral 10 designates a derrick mast which is pivoted at its lower end by ahorizontal pin 12 for vertical swinging movement, the pivot pin 12 being carried by a vertical pivot pin 14 which is supported by a bearing bracket 16, the bracket 16 outstands directly from the lower end of a vertical supporting mast 18 which upstands from the deck 20 of a ship (not shown). Thus, the derrick mast is swingable vertically and movable about the vertical pivot pin.

At its upper or outer end the derrick mast 1G is supported by a peak-halyard sling 22 which includes pulleys 24 and 26, the former being connected by a connection 28 to the upper or outer end of the derrick mast and the latter being connected to the supporting mast, as will be described. The rope 30 of the sling is passed over the pulleys and over a sheave 32 which is carried by the supporting mast. The rope is passed from the sheave 32 to the drum of a winch 35 shown in Fig. 3 and used for lifting the derrick mast.

The load is lifted and lowered by a hoisting rope 34 which is passed over a sheave 36 carried by the upper or outer end of the derrick mast. The rope is guided by a sheave 37 on the lower end of the derrick mast and is actuated by a winc'hf38 mounted on the deck, as shown, for example, in 'Fig. 3.

The derrick mast is raised by the winch 35 and rope 30 and a rope 40 controls the lowering of the derrick mast. Therope 4t), controlling the return movement of the derrick mast, when unloaded, is anchored to the deck at 42 (Fig. 3) and is passed over a pulley 44 secured by a clamp 46 to the derrick mast, adjacent its upper end. The rope 40 is passed over a guide pulley 48 on the lower end of the supporting mast and is actuated by a winch 50 fas tened to the supporting mast above the pulley 48.

The sling 22 has its pulley 26 attached by a bracket means 52, shown more particularly in Figures 1 and 2, to the upper end of the supporting mast. The bracket means iscarried by the mast, as will be described, for horizontal swinging movement from the dotted line position A of Fig. 2 to laterally displaced positions B and C through an angle of about 120.

The top of the supporting mast is capped by a cap plate 54 which is fixedly superimposed thereon and projects laterally therefrom in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 2. The cap plate has triangular bracket forming plates 56 and 58 secured to the undersides of its projecting ends. The plates 56 and 58 are vertically disposed and are arranged in pairs to opposite sides of the derrick mast and have their outer free ends 60 and 62 converging inwardly and upwardly. The outer ends 60 and 62 are formed with aligned apertures 64 to receive hooks for guide sheaves 66.

An upper pair of vertically spaced apart and horizontally disposed gussets 68 and 70 is carried by the plates 56 and 58. The gussets are notched to fit around the mast and are welded thereto and to the plates 56 and 58. The gussets are rigidified by vertical brace plates 72 disposed therebetween and extending between the gussets and the supporting mast. The gussets have outer apex ends which are vertically apertured to receive a I upper pair.

pivot pin 74 that is held against axial dislodgment by a retain pin 76 in its lower end.

A lower pair of vertically spaced apart and horizontally disposed gussets 78 and 80 .is provided below the The lower gussets 78 and 80 are secured directly to the mast and are provided with vertical rigidifying webs S2. The gussets 78 and 80 are apertured to support a vertical pivot pin 84 which is in axial alignment with the pin 74 and mounted in an identical manner.

The bracket means 52 includes a vertically disposed tubular member 86, a horizontal upper tubular member 88 and a diagonally disposed interconnecting tubular member 90. The tubular members form thetriangular bracket means and the corners thereof are provided with reinforcing plates 92. Axiallyaligned sleeves 94 and 96 are welded to the extending ends of the horizontal member 88 and the diagonal member 90, beyond the vertical member, and are vertically disposed and circumposcd on the pivot pins 74 and 84. Another sleeve 98 is welded in vertical position to the members 88 and 90 by a vertical plate 100 which connects the members. The sleeve 08 carries a pivot pin 102 which supports a U-shaped support 104 having a horizontally apertured, vertically disposed and outstanding web portion 106 to which the pulley 26 is attached by a connection 108. The plate 88 is provided with horizontally disposed apertured ears 110 which project rearwardly therefrom to each side of the member 88 to support ropes 112 for swivelling the bracket means, as will be described. The ropes 112 are passed over the guide sheaves 66 in extending from the ears 110 and extend downwardly along opposite sides of the supportingmast. The ropes terminate in chain extensions 114 which are adjustably anchored to retaining pins 116 secured to the deck, as shown in Fig. 3. By such means, the ropes may be easily adjusted to control the extent of swivel movement of the bracket means and its appurtenant structure.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 to 6, the main or supporting mast 118 consists of two companion legs 120 and 122 which are slightly divergent with respect to the longitudinal medial plane of the ship and which lie in a common transverse plane. The legs are anchored at their lower divergent ends on a support 124 and are connected at their upper ends by a cross member 126. A web 128 is secured between the convergent upper ends of the legs to rigidity the legs.

A derrick mast or boom a is pivotally attached to the legs, the masts extending outwardly and upwardly in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 4. Since the mounting and operating structure of each derrick mast is the same, only one is shown in detail and since such structure is the same as that shown in Figures l-3 and, aforedescribecl, it will not be described in detail. The only differences are matters of relocation, such as the winch 38 and the anchored end 42 of the rope 40. The derrick mast 10a is carried, at its upper end by the yard sling 22a which has its rope reeved over a guide pulley 130 on the bracket member 52a. Such bracket member is pivotally supported by pivot pins 74a and 84a which are carried by the upper portion of the cross member 126. When in its inoperative position,'the bracket member will be normal to the plane of the cross member, as shown in Fig. 6. The bracket member is controlled by the ropes 112a and 11% which pass over pulleys 66a on the cross member and are attached to the bracket member at 132 and 134, see Fig. 5.

if desired, the support 124 may be made movable by mounting it, for example, on a hatchway cover that can be moved along the hatchway coaming.

Of course, since other changes and embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the above described and illustrated forms are to be considered only as exemplary and the practice of the invention is .only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Means for handling loads on board ship comprising a mast, an angle member pivotally mounted on the top portion of said mast for movement about a vertical axis in parallel relationship with the axis of the mast, a boom having one end secured to said mast for movement about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, a halyard sling for suspending said boom from the extreme end of said angle member opposite said mast, flexible elements each having an end attached to the said extreme end of said angle member and extending on opposite sides of said angle member for causing it to be pivotally displaced about its vertical axis, a stationary capping membersecured at the upper portion of the mast comprising a central part and two aligned lateral projections extending on each side of the mast and substantially in perpendicular relationship with respect to the plane of said angle member when the latter occupies a symmetrical position with respect to said flexible element, pulley means positioned on each end of said lateral projections and adapted to guide said flexible element and means for securing said flexible elements to maintain said angle member in various angular positions.

2. Means for handling loads on board ship comprising a mast, an angle member pivotally mounted on the top portion of said mast for movement about a vertical axis in parallel relationship with the axis of the mast, a boom having one end secure-:1 to said mast for movement about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, a halyard sling for suspending said boom from the extreme end of said angle member opposite said mast, flexible elements each having an end attached to the said extreme end of said angle member and extending on opposite sides of said angle member for causing it to be pivotally displaced about its vertical axis, a stationary capping member secured at the upper portion of the mast comprising a central part and two aligned lateral projections extending on each side of the mast and substantially in perpendicular relation with respect to the plane of said angle member when the latter occupies a symmetrical position with respect to said flexible element, each of said lateral projections being formed of two convergent substantially triangular flats ending into two parallel portions, pulley means positioned on each end of said lateral projections and adapted to guide said flexible element and means for securing said flexible element to maintain said angle member in various angular positions.

3. Means for handling loads on board ship comprising a mast, an angle member pivotally mounted on the top portion of said mast for movement about a vertical axis in parallel relationship with the axis of the mast, vertically superposed bracket means secured on said mast for pivotally supporting said angle member, a boom having one end secured to said mast for movement about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis, a halyard sling for suspending said boom from the extreme end of said angle member opposite said mast, flexible elements each having an end attached to the said extreme end of said angle member and extending on opposite sides of said angle member for causing it to be pivotally displaced about its vertical axis, a stationary capping member secured at the upper portion of the mast comprising a central part and two aligned lateral projections extending on each side of the mast and substantially in perpendicular relationship with respect to the plane of said angle member when the latter occupies a symmetrical position with respect to said flexible element, pulley means positioned on each end of said lateral projections and adapted to guide said flexible element and means for securing said flexible element to maintain said angle member in various angular positions.

4. A slewing arrangement for handling loads more particularly on board ships comprising a self sustaining mast, a base for said mast, securing means directly connecting said base and mast, at least one derrick pivotally mounted about a vertical axis on said mast, an angle member pivotally mounted on the top portion of said mast for movement about a vertical axis parallel to the axis of said mast, a yard sling suspended from the extreme end of said angle member opposite said mast, flexible elements each having an end attached to the said extreme end of said angle member and extending on opposite sides of said angle member for causing it to be pivotally displaced about its vertical axis, a stationary capping member se- 7 cured at the upper portion of the mast comprising a cen tral part and two aligned lateral projections extending on each side of the mast and substantially in perpendicular relationship with respect to the plane of said angle member when the latter occupies a symmetrical position with respect to said flexible element, pulley means positioned on each end of said lateral projections and adapted to guide said flexible element and means for securing said flexible element to maintain said angle member in various angular positions.

5. An arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said angle member consists of three assembled tubular members forming a rectangular triangle, one side of the right angle being parallel, the other being perpendicular with respect to the axis of the mast.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,133,526 Anderson Mar. 30, 1915 2,666,532 Shoemaker Ian. 19, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 17,741 Great Britain Nov. 4, 1890 497,048 Germany May 1, 1930 

